Al Sharpton blasts NFL's Goodell: 'Don't apologize. Give Colin Kaepernick a job back.'

Rev. Al Sharpton is far from satisfied with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's "empty" apology.

Sharpton on Tuesday delivered another stirring eulogy for George Floyd at his funeral in Houston, and referenced Goodell's recent admission amid the nationwide protests that the NFL was "wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier" and now encourages players to "speak out and peacefully protest."

"Well, don't apologize," Sharpton said in response. "Give Colin Kaepernick a job back. Don't come with some empty apology."

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Goodell didn't specifically mention or offer an apology to Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who sparked a movement in 2016 by kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice and settled a collusion lawsuit against the NFL in 2019, and he also didn't clarify if his apology meant the league now supports taking a knee during the national anthem.

Sharpton, whose comments drew applause, blasted the NFL for taking "a man's livelihood" and again called on the league to "repay the damage you did to the career you stood down, because when Colin took a knee, he took it for the families in this building." Brendan Morrow